Propulsion and steering of ships



E. S. G. REES.

PROPULSION AND STEERING 0F SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1919.

1 ,344,5 1 8 Patented J U116 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

n w r-M Z- E. s. e. REES. PROPULSION AND STEERING 0F SHIPS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 19I9- Patented June 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- E. S. G. REES.

PROPULSION AND STEERING 0F SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 55, 1919.

1 ,34 4;,5 1 8 Patented June 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

n m, $41M O E. S. G. REES.

PROPULSION AND STEERING 0F SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1919.

1 ,344, 5 1 8 Patented June 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4-.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND S. G. REES, OF WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

PROPULSION AND STEERING OF SHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11116 22 1920 Application filed March 5, 1919. Serial No. 280,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND Soo'r'r Gus- TAVE REES, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Wolverhampton, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Propulsion and Steering of Ships, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to the propulsion and steering or maneuvering of ships driven by screw propellers.

The principle involved is disclosed to a certain extent in the British patent specification No. 9435 of 1908 and as' in the invention described in that specification, the present invention seeks, inter alia to realize the condition of maximum efliciency laid down by Macquorn Rankine that, cetem's pam'bus,

that propeller is most eflicient which drives the greatest weight of fluid astern at the slowest speed.

According to the present invention the maneuvering of such ships is effected by means of one or more fixed tubes or ducts open at both ends to the surrounding water into or through which ducts the water set in motion by the propeller passes and from which its ejection is controlled by means of one or more pivoted vanes or pallets or pairs of pallets so arranged that the whole of the water set in motion by the propeller may,

be allowed to pass rearwardly through and out of such tubes or ducts, or may be deflected so as to be ejected therefrom toward port or starboard or in a forward direction or directions, or part of the water may be deflected forwardly while the remainder passes sternward or to port or starboard, thereby-enabling the ship to be maneuvered solely by means of the tube or duct and controlling pallets without reversal of engine or propeller and if desired without any alteration whatever of engine or propeller speed. Such tubes or ducts will therefore be referred to hereinafter as maneuvering tubes and the stream of water set in motion by the propeller as the flume.

The invention may take a considerable variety of forms, some of which are embodied in the accompanylng drawings wlth reference to which the invention is described .in greater detail, but in its simplest form i is immediately astern thereof, while the rear end is provided with means for controlling the direction of flow of the flume Within and from the tube, as for example a pair of vertically pivoted control vanes or pallets which can be moved in opposite senses so as to close the rear end of the tube completely or partially, or, in the same sense, to deflect the flume laterally to either side, or to do both in part.

- In the drawings Figures 1 to 6 are various views showing one embodiment of the lnvention, Fig. 1 being a longitudinal sectional elevation, Fig. 2 a sectional plan and Fig. 3 an end elevation, while Figs. 1 to 6 are part plans showing various positions of the control pallets. v

.Figs. 7 8 and 9 are, respectively, a side elevation, plan view and rear elevation elevation and a plan view of a form of gear for operating the control pallets.

As shown in these drawings, a represents the screw propeller, co'axially arranged with which is a maneuvering tube'or duct 6 of horizontally flattened or elliptical section, the side walls of which moreover are chamfered or cut away at the forward end as shown at 6 to give free access of water to the propeller and, at the rear end, as shown at 6 to accommodate and permit the requisite movement of the control elements.

The forward end of the duct 6 embraces the propeller, in the rear of which the duct expands or flares to the rearward opening which is controlled by a pair of'flat plates or pallets c, 03 carried on brackets 0 d which are pivoted vertically upon a central axis e.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the control-pallets are shown in the position for maximum headway, in which position the flume is allowed to pass freely through the duct 6.

In Fig. 4 the control pallets are shown closed on each other at their rear edges so as to deflect the flume in a forward direction. This position of the pallets is that for maximum sternway.

In Fig. 5 the control pallets are shown in an intermediate position, in which the forward edges of the pallets abut against the chamfered rear edges of the side walls and part of the fiume is allowed to pass between the rearward edges of the pallets while the remainder is deflected forwardly by the control pallets through the maneuvering tube or duct. In one such intermediate position of the pallets the vessel will remain stationary while in other intermediate positions the ship will go ahead or astern as the case may be at various speeds. The position of the control pallets shown in Fig. 6 is such as to direct the fiume toward the left, thus turning the ship to port.

It will be noted that the maneuvering tube or duct 1), besides being flattened and separate maneuvering tube 6, the inner sides,

of these two tubes being parallel, while the outer sides are shaped to give the desired augmenter action.

These tubes, as shown in Fig. 9, are of oval or egg-shaped section and are cut-away on the outer side at their forward ends 6 where, as shown on these drawings, they embrace the propeller, their rear ends being each fitted with a flat plate or control pallet 0 centrally pivoted about a vertical axis and the ducts themselves are connected at top and bottom by two curved plates f whic form a common inclosing oval duct. It .will be seen that with the control pallets c in the position shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings the flumes are deflected forwardly within the space bounded bythe ducts b and inclosing plates f in a direction parallel with the fore and aft axisof the ship, that is in the direction which gives the maximum stern-way speed to the ship.

In the modified construction of pallets shown in Figs. 10 to 14 which may be used in lieu of the plain plates previously described, pairs of twin plates, disposed in louver-fashion are employed for controlling the end of the maneuvering tube 6, the space or passage 11. between the twin plates constituting a nozzle which is directable'with- The nozzles the movement ,of the pallets. can be made of such a size or area as to take the place of the gap or nozzle formed by the outer edges of the control pallets and the rear edges of the control duct in Elie closed position of the pallets as in igs. 15 and 16 are respectively a longitudinal elevation and a plan view of a form of gear for operating the control pallets.

The tiller g which may be operated by hand or by mechanical power (not shown.

in the drawings) is adapted to turn the control pallets .0, which in this case are shown mounted on separate vertical pivots, in the same sense through gear wheels 72., j, k, y";

and a worm gear k actuated by a hand wheel 70, mounted on the tiller is arranged to turn the control pallets a in opposite senses through bevel gearing Z.

The augmenter effect'of the maneuvering tube may be amplified by the use of one or more coaxial fixed tubes or ducts leading from one to the other from the propeller to the maneuvering tube, that is to the tube fitted with the control pallet or pallets,

Such an additional augmenter' tube is shown byway of example in Figs. 15 and With such an auxiliary augmenter tube or tubes interposed between the propeller and the maneuvering duct, not only is the mass of water set in sternward motion increased and its average velocity reduced when the vessel is going ahead, but additional forwardly directed outlets are provided for the ejection of the water when the control pallets are set for stopping or going astern or for making headway at reduced speed independently of the engines. 'A similar result may be obtained by providing the maneuverin' tube with lateral gills or forwardly irected openings at one or more points along its length.

Further, the maneuvering tube and also any other tube used in association therewith may be divided throughout the whole 'or part of its or their len h by'a web or webs in any suitable longitu When the invention is applied to the submersion or emersion of submarines the control vanes or pallets are horizontal, instead of vertical and the maneuvering tubev and other tubes which may be used in association therewith are similarly orientated.

When it is desired to use the same means for horizontal maneuvering and for submersion, the maneuvering tube or duct, or an end section of the same especially mounted for the purpose, is made rotatable about its axis and securable in the desired position by suitable means.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim 1. In ships propelled by screw propellers, the combination with each propeller of a fixed maneuvering tube or duct open at each end to the surrounding water and expanding in rear of the propeller to the rear opening and means located atthe rear end of the duct for controlling the direction of flow within and from the tube of the streams or and means located at the rear end of the duct for controlling the direction of flow within and from the tube ofthe streams or Home set in motion by the propelleri 3. In ships propelled by screw propellers, the combination with each propeller of a fixed maneuvering tube or duet open at each end to the surrounding water and expanding in rear of the propeller to the rear opening, said tube havin its side walls chamfered at the rear en and vertically pivoted pallets mounted at the rear end of said tube and adapted in one position to form a continuation of the chamfered side at the rear end of said tube, and openings or nozzles formed in said pallets and adapted, when the rear edges of the pallets are closed on each other, to eject the water forwardly from the tube and external thereto.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDMUND S. G. REES. 

